Plate Tectonics Lecture Notes

A set of vocabulary flashcards covering key concepts and terms related to Plate Tectonics.

Alfred Wegener

A scientist who formulated the theory of continental drift in the early 1900s.

Continental Drift

The theory that the continents were once a single landmass that broke apart and drifted to their current locations.

Pangaea

The supercontinent that existed during the late Paleozoic and early Mesozoic eras.

SONAR

A technology used to map the ocean floor, which contributed to the understanding of tectonic plate boundaries.

Lithosphere

The rigid outer layer of the Earth, comprising the crust and upper mantle.

Asthenosphere

The semi-fluid layer of the upper mantle that allows for the movement of tectonic plates.

Subduction Zone

An area where one tectonic plate moves under another, often creating deep oceanic trenches.

Divergence

The process where tectonic plates move away from each other, often resulting in the creation of new crust.

Convergence

The process where tectonic plates move towards each other, often resulting in mountain formation or subduction.

Transform Boundary

A region where tectonic plates slide past one another, leading to earthquakes.

Hot Spot

A location in the mantle where hot magma rises to create volcanic activity, not necessarily at a plate boundary.

Ring of Fire

A major area in the basin of the Pacific Ocean where many earthquakes and volcanic eruptions occur.

Outer Core

The layer of the Earth between the mantle and the inner core, composed of molten iron and nickel.

Inner Core

The solid innermost layer of the Earth, composed primarily of iron and nickel, under extreme pressure.

Rift

A linear zone where the Earth's lithosphere is being pulled apart, often associated with divergent boundaries.

Trench

A deep, elongated trough in the ocean floor, formed by subduction of one tectonic plate beneath another.

Seafloor Spreading

The process by which new oceanic crust forms at mid-ocean ridges and older crust is pushed away.

Earthquake

A sudden release of energy in the Earth's crust that creates seismic waves, often occurring at plate boundaries.

Fossil Evidence

Remains of ancient organisms found in rock layers that support the theory of continental drift.

Mantle

The thick layer of the Earth between the crust and the core, characterized by convection currents.